My Sincere Apologies

Hi, everyone!

I'm sorry I've been away so long. I've been re-evaluating this, as well as many other projects in my life. Needless to say, I've decided to come back to the 17 Million Blog for the time being. However, I'll be bringing about various changes along with me.

Firstly, I'd like to come clean about my focus with this blog. Despite the title of my blog, my end goal is not money. While having a million dollars will certainly make my Life more luxurious and my goals easier to accomplish (indeed, a nice 1 mil is a goal of mine), I refuse to let money measure my happiness. This blog is mainly going to be about whatever I find along my (never-ending) journey to grow and develop as an individual and a citizen of the Global Village.

I'm also going to abolish my previous promise of posting regularly - sorry, guys! I don't want to turn this into a space where I just regurgitate whatever's closest to me in hopes of creating more content. So if I seem to have dropped off the face of the Internet for a while, I most likely haven't, I'm just trying desperately to find something worthwhile for you guys to read. I know you're all busy, so I want to thank you all for keeping an eye on this thing, and I'll do my best to make sure it's worth the time you take to read.

I've had a pretty major realization, and it's one that has helped to bring about some changes in my life.

Now, before I go on with that statement, just to clarify - there have been no major screw ups! No drugs, no nothing - just a realization which I hope will help me to live my life more... maturely, I guess.

So, the major realization is that I don't need money to be happy. If I can do something great (or something normal, either way) with what I'm given, then awesome! If I can make a lot of money while I'm at it, also awesome!

I'm not saying that I don't want to make a lot of money - I just don't want that to be my only goal.

There's an old Chinese proverb-like story about a young man who goes to a guru in search of happiness. The young man waits in line to see the guru, who gives him a spoon filled with tea. The guru tells the young man to "walk the mountain without spilling a drop of tea". So off he goes, taking precarious step after precarious step, eyes fixed on the tea. He walks the entire path and comes back to the guru, not a single drop spilled. The young man sits by the guru and exclaims "I walked the path and spilled not a drop of tea!" The guru smiles and nods. "Yes, you have," he says, "but did you see the mountain pass?"

The young man, who had been focused solely on the tea in the spoon, confesses "no I did not." The guru gives him back the spoon filled with tea and says "This time, look to the mountains - there you will find happiness."

So the young man walks the path again, but his eyes are fixed on the wonderful surroundings about him as he walks. When he returns to the guru, he is calm and has a quiet smile on his face. He sits by the guru, who smiles back at him. "I walked the path and saw amazing things I had never seen before." The young man says. "Yes, you have," the guru replies, and gestures to the spoon. "But look at your spoon, it is empty."

The young man looks, and finds it empty, but he is not sad. He looks to the guru and says "It was simply tea."

So that might not be exactly how the proverb goes, but the general idea is still there for me. (I say "for me" because it's meaning will vary from person to person.)

To me, it tells us to look around us and be in awe of our surroundings rather than to be focused on using a small thing (like a teaspoon of tea) to judge our happiness. True happiness comes from our surroundings, which are bigger than ourselves, rather than a small measure.

I plan to be able to measure my life and success through means other than a numerical value placed on a dollar. If I can put a smile on someone's face every day, that would make me happier than chasing after validation through money.

Those are my newest realizations. I hope that I have not disappointed anyone, but I have faith that my new outlook is one that will guide me to my goal of being a "Millionaire" in it's own way.

On that note, I have a new business!

I have been spending hours illustrating pop-art like portraits of animals, which I shall soon post on my art site for you to enjoy.

Anywho, gotta run and catch a bus.

Namaste,

Clarise

Apologies!

Morning, everyone!

Sorry for not posting for four days! I fell off the wagon big-time with that - but the good thing about wagons is that you can always get back on! So, without further ado, on with the post!

This past week was truly a great week for me. I had meetings with friends almost every day of the week. On Monday I met with a friend whom I haven't seen in a few months, and who had just returned from a trip. That was wonderful to see him again, and we had a really enjoyable talk. 

Then, the next afternoon, I met a friend from Junior High for some awesome Chai at Edmonton's Remedy Cafe. That was a really fun. I ran into her during Orientation for first-year University students, and we had a lovely "Reunion Moment" which raised a chorus of "Awwww..."s from both our Orientation groups. It was a challenge hooking up with her, though. We played Facebook-tag for the duration of first semester, then switched to a bit of phone tag.

Finally, when we got together, we had a huge talk and drank Chai for about 3 hours and talked, talked, talked. It was truly a fun afternoon.

I was a bit scared at first that it would be awkward between us, seeing as we hadn't spoken for about 3 years, but it soon turned out that we had too much to talk about to let a small thing like that get in the way.

The lesson I learned through my two meetings with friends was this:

It really doesn't matter how long you take to get back in touch with friends - just do it and get to know them again. Good friends remain friends despite some time.

Here's a wonderful story, and a wonderful lesson.

Two young men bought a lion cub and raised him lovingly. However, he grew too big for them to keep, and they were forced to reintroduce him into the wild. Fortunately, the lion - named Christian - was successfully reintroduced.

One year after Christian's release into the wild, the two men wanted to see him again. They were told that the lion was head of his own pride and was completely wild, and thus could not remember them. They went inspite of that and the rest - you'll have to watch in the video. :)

Apologies about the newscast at the beginning of the video - this is the only one I could find. Hopefully you like it. It's a wonderful message and a touching story.

Time does not separate friendship - it matures it like a good wine.

Namaste,

Clarise

The Power Of Passion

There's an astonishing power that humans naturally posses. This power allows us to be more than mere humans - this power allows us to transcend limits and restrictions. What is this power? Simple: Passion.

I was a student in Junior Achievement's High School Company Program (the extracurricular schedule) - a program which puts together students from Grades 10 to 12 and teaches them to start and run a real company. I was involved for 4 "terms" over the course of three years and have learned quite a large deal from it. My first job was decided on things I had learned in Junior Achievement (I used the words "negotiate a sale").

Throughout my JA career, I had the honor of being elected to the Executive Board (students within the company with a leadership role) each term. Unfortunately, that meant dealing with the occasional horrid product. I learned from my second year that if you are going to start a business, you'd better choose a product to sell that you are interested in. If you're not behind it, your customers will know.

You can apply the same theory to everyday life. A subject you're more passionate about will be more fun to study than a subject you don't find interesting. A cause you're passionate about will spur you on to support it in every way you can. An interest or hobby can transform into a part-time business.

If you're interested in art - if you draw, paint, do a bit of printmaking - there are sites where you can sell your art for a profit. If you love the outdoors, you can start a business mowing lawns (don't knock it - some inspiring multi-millionaires started off with mowers and paper routes) or tending gardens. If you're an animal lover, a pet-sitting business could do so much more than child-sitting! If you know your way around computers, seniors homes sometimes hire companies to teach their residents how to use the Internet (seniors can be surprisingly springy-er than you thought).

Bottom line, if you're passionate about something, anything, really, you can make a business out of it. You can make a career out of it. You can make a life around it and you'll be practically guaranteed success. Here's a perfect example.

Erin McKean - lexicographer. She is passionate, nay, even passionately mad about the English language and, more specifically, the words found in the English language. Watch this clip and see just how much someone's passion can do. Not only does it convey their own interest, it also conveys their strong passion and sways whomever they're talking to into becoming passionate about it as well.

Erin McKean: Redefining The Dictionary

TED: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Ideas Worth Spreading.

I hope the key thing came through. The key, for those who might have missed it, is this:

No matter what you're passionate about - become fully passionate about it and you will find success.

McKean is clearly passionate about words and the English language, and because of that, she is one of the youngest editors of one of the "Big Five" American dictionaries - maybe you've heard of it: Oxford English Dictionary ring a bell? She's found extraordinary success and has written multiple books simply about words. 

This is what passion can do. So, get passionate about something. Being interested in something is a huge step towards finding success and personal fulfilment.

Passion - The Lifeblood of Life.

Namaste,

Clarise

The Wonders of The Pursuit of Knowledge

As must be apparent and, most likely, frustratingly repetitive is my very strong stance on lifelong learning and a yearning for education. However, there are hundreds of levels of education. There's the mandatory schooling, the post-secondary, the masters, the doctorate, the career, the skills, the lifelong learning. Then, there is the Tireless Pursuit of Knowledge.

According to Clay Shirky, sociologist and author of Here Comes Everybody, humans are, by nature, group creatures. We find innovative ways to incorporate ourselves and our talents into groups. It is a nature of human behavior - that is not to say that we lose our individuality, hardly! Our individuality makes us of great value to a group. We can specialize or handle various things within a group due to our individuality. However, we still have a natural, in-bred desire to be with people.

One of the aspects of the human behavior of grouping is the sharing of knowledge and resources. Look at blogs - millions of pages of information! Sure, they're slightly selfish and sometimes entirely useless, but they are mountains of knowledge nonetheless. Other information sharing communities - digital or real - such as Facebook, Flickr, various conventions and panels are made into such powerhouses due to the sheer amount of knowledge exchanging hands. Ever played six degrees with Facebook? There's a web of connection that traces through everyone.

The Pursuit of Knowledge on the level of which I am passionate about is that found in debates, certain cafes, lounges and sometimes over bar counters. However, one of the most prestigious of stages upon which to speak about knowledge of any sort is, without a doubt, that of TED.

Technology, Entertainment and Design.

Three facets of current society that they can be neither ignored, nor pushed aside. Every aspect of our lives is governed to some degree by technology; our days are spent seeking or providing entertainment; every moment we are confronted by design.

Within TED there are hundreds of speakers who share amazing stories, powerful talks, inspiring tales, beautiful music, awesome art and messages which leave everyone speechless. 

Now, why would I mention something as amazing as TED? Well, simply because I love it. And because I happen to agree with the type beside the three red letters which represent the entire backbone of the annual conference. The type reads - very simply and very boldly - Ideas worth spreading.

I agree, whole-heartedly.

The sort of thing presented within the artists, anthropologists, composers, writers, activists, designers, enviromentalists, politicians - people from all walks of life - is nothing short of an amazing showcase of human genius and talent. There are quite a few things different about TED than the average convention. Firstly, the talks are generally made to be shorter (though quite a few do go beyond the encouraged 15-minute limit and into the half-hour mark). Secondly, the subject matter can vary from the global economy to the individual psyche - anything goes, really, watch a few of the videos and you'll see what I mean. Thirdly - and most importantly - there is no age limit for speakers. Young musicians as young as nine have graced the stage and blasted a hole through the classic myth of "Being Too Young". There are speakers from age nine to much into their elderly years.

I would like to challenge any and everyone reading this post to seriously look at the talks done at TED and allow them to change your thinking. I would especially like to challenge the youth who read this to watch at least three TED talks. For the youth of the world, there can be no greater gift and no greater power than Knowledge. Being able to understand the plight of humanity, the genius within all of us and sheer, raw power that all humans possess is something which all youth should understand. It is my strong belief that if we educated each youth in modern North America with the knoweldge and morals within TED talks (though certainly not limited to them), then the next generation of the world would be hundreds of times better than the current.

Visit this site and change your life.

TED: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Ideas worth spreading.

Challenge the Limits of Personal Knowledge - Everyday.

Namaste,

Clarise

The Red Scarf!

Wohoo! Today was a very good day indeed.

I woke up fairly early this morning - a more and more rare thing for me nowadays - and I managed to get in the previous post before I made lunch and had to do a mad dash for the bus. Unfortunately, I missed the bus by about three minutes and had to wait another twenty before I could start on my trip to the U of A's Main Campus.

Once I got to Main, I had about 30 minutes to find my way to a Restricted Access table to get a red scarf (the symbol of the campaign) before I had to catch the bus to the Campus Saint-Jean (which is removed from the U's Main Campus). So I went to our main student building, which houses the bookstore, a few merchandise stores and a large cafeteria, offices, student services and a few bars/restaurants. There were a lot of tables, but no red scarves - so I did a quick circut and decided that I wouldn't get it that day.

On my way out of the building, I passed a guy wearing a red scarf like the one pictured on Restricted Access's blog. I realized too late that I could have asked him where he'd gotten the scarf. Then, as I was walking to the bus terminals, I passed yet another guy with the scarf, and I decided that I could ask him where to get it - but he was on the phone. Finally, as I was waiting in a building near the buses, I saw two girls with red scarves tied to their bags. I knew that they were Restricted Access scarves - the movement organizers encourage wearing the scarf or carrying it around at all times (just to raise exposure). So I asked them where to get it.

About twenty minutes later, after a mini-adventure within the upper floors of the student's building, I finally had my scarf - and five minutes to book it from one side of the campus to the other (okay, not that far). Good news: I made it on the bus! And I got my scarf!

So my participation in the campaign is pretty much decided. That's that. Though as usual with my stance on forming opinions, I have to do some reading and learning before I can consider myself a true participant. If you're part of a movement, it becomes a sort of duty to know more about the issue itself.

Keep Informed Of Both Sides Of The Story.

Namaste,

Clarise

The Restricted Access Movement

As might be apparent with my previous posts, I am a strong believer in education. As much as I might knock traditional education systems, I still believe that they are largely necessary - more for the implied lessons and the degree rather than the knowledge gained (except for certain programs). 

This next issue, which I shall be following until at least the morning of January 23rd, is an issue which has long been of concern to me. Seeing as this blog is also about my journey to financial success, the issue also fits in perfectly with being knowledgable about your finances - every aspect of your finances.

Restricted Access is a movement currently underway at my University (the U of Alberta). It's purpose is to unite students under the common goal of raising awareness about raising tuitions fees and their adverse affect on various aspects of society and student life.

The tag line of the movement is: "It's your education. Don't get priced out.".

Post-secondary education is no longer an option, it is now a mandatory expense. There are few jobs which will allow you to rise without a university degree - even if you never use it. Here in Alberta, we have the problem of the oilsands - high school grads are skipping University and are heading straight up north to work in horrid conditions to make mega bucks, which they consequently spend on booze, games, booze and, oh, did I mention booze? 

If you're a student at the U of A, be sure to pick up your red scarf (it's free) and make sure you're there for the demonstration January 23rd. I'm not too sure of the details at the moment, but once I have them, I'll be sure to keep it updated.

It's time for students to start looking at their finances and see whether or not they're paying more than they should be. It's time for students to take action and to grab hold of the end goal with their own hands. It's time for our education - let's not get priced out.

It's Your Education. Don't Get Priced Out.

Namaste,

Clarise

PS: There's a Facebook group for all interested. Search "Restricted Access".

The Lessons Learned In A Snowstorm

As must be obvious, I'm a Canadian. My parents immigrated from the Phillipines when they were in their late teens, and they began University at the U of A, where they met. My mom has a wonderful tale to tell about her arrival in Canada. From the tropics, she arrived in Canada in the middle of December - at a balmy temperature of -50 C, or -58 F. 

Since then, I'm glad to say that I haven't personally experienced -50 C. While I might gripe about the cold a few times and whine about how my toes are going to fall off (I need new boots), I prefer the cold to insane heat. You can always put on more clothes, but you can only strip down so much before you get arrested for inappropriate exposure.

Plus, there's snow.

My bedroom has a huge window in the southern wall, and I'm usually blessed with views of open sky and the huge pine tree in front of my neighbor's house. Today, there was a mini-snowstorm. A bit of huge snowflakes, a whole bunch of wind, and a lot of activity.

I'm listening to Death Cab For Cutie's Something About Airplanes album, and watching the snow. If I had to say anything about lessons learned from a snowstorm - as I usually look at nature's actions as a great teacher - I would have to say that taking the time to look deeper and look with an open mind are the lessons that a snowstorm can teach.

When we think of snowstorms, we usually see a gray sky, a gloomy atmosphere and grumbling, bundled-up people trying to get home. But when you put music to a snowstorm, it seems as though they're like a ballet of white fairies dancing madly.

I'm going to go on a limb here - so please bear with me and just keep in mind I'm not crazy?

Take a deep breath and imagine this with me...

There are snowflakes being pushed around by the wind. They're flying past at speeds most likely possible to only the fastest of jets. They fly around, being pushed and shoved around, and it looks hectic and unorganized and, for lack of a better word, painful.

Then, at just the right moment, the wind dies dow, and we can see for the first time all the little snowflakes just floating there. They're all just sitting there, almost completely still. It's beautiful and quiet. There's a sense of complete peace that floats into the room. It's like you could reach out and talk to them - they're almost like people.

In a sense, it's like they're telling us to stop once in a while. Stop rushing here, rushing there, running forth, running back, not paying attention to the world around us. There are many fantastic things that go on in the world - little beauties that show up everyday. If we always just keep rushing our lives along, pretty soon, we're going to end up smack against the end of it and wondering what happened to that Golden Age we were promised.

It's an art, and it's something that's hard to master, but if we could even just take a few minutes a day to stop rushing and to start appreciating our lives, to start looking for small joys, I think the world could be a little better of a place. If you wouldn't mind, try this:

Start your trip to work/school/where-ever you go frequently a bit earlier tomorrow - or as soon as you like. Walk slowly and look around. Really look - don't just cast your eye to various places just to make sure you don't get run over. Pull your thoughts out of the future and dedicate yourself to noticing the buildings and people around you. What's new? What didn't you notice before? What do you notice about things you've already noticed? Is someone always at the same corner you are? Are they smiling? Do they try to talk to you?

I think one of the reasons why children are so beautiful (and this is rare for me) is that they look at everything in a new way. Even if they're talking the same route day after day, they can always find something new and refreshing.

I'd like to share something with you - and this is just on impulse.

I found a game about a week ago - a fun, quick game. It's all about building little machines to get a ball into a target zone. It's hard to do some of the levels because it's simply just a strange challenge.

The huge thing for me when I played this game is the challenge it provides the player - Think Outside The Box. Really. It's easier said than done.

Try this out: Fantastic Contraption

Learn From Everything, Learn Everywhere.

Namaste,

Clarise